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My name is Ally Bean and this is my personal blog answering the question: "What up, Buttercup?" I'm here at least once a week-- unless, of course, I'm not. And yes, I wear eyeglasses. Spectacles, if you will.

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“I am not always good and noble. I am the hero of this story, but I have my off moments.”

80 thoughts on “Pearls Of Wisdom From Ms. Bean’s Weekend On Her Own”

Ohh, to me that sounds like a warm, fun, perfect weekend. Fluffing our nest, cuddling within that nest, and watching old TV – all comfort “food.” Me? This weekend the illustrator for my children’s book Birds of Paradise came for a 4-day visit with her husband. I’ve written my next children’s book, Molly Finds Her Purr, and the illustrator shared the sketches she’s made for it so far. Really fun!

Pam, you’re right. What I did on my own was the homeowner equivalent of “comfort food.” Your new book sounds adorable, I can see why you had such fun looking at the sketches. Your weekend must have been… wait for it… purr-fect. 😉

You know, I had to think really hard. I went swimming Sunday afternoon — up to half a mile on my way back to the mile I used to do three times a week. Woody and I are watching reruns of West Wing now. So there was some of that. Pretty tame stuff too. Your weekend sounds heavenly.

A weekend all to yourself should never have to be justified by what did, or did not, occur. As long as you enjoyed yourself then who’s to judge!
Personally I did more this weekend than I ever do. It’s usually work then home to play mindless online puzzle games, or read or catch up on TV. I had a shopping excursion with my oldest one day, then off to see Bohemian Rhapsody with my youngest the next day. I had forgotten what it’s like to get out into the world!

Deb, I like your attitude. Good point, we’re grown-ups so do what you want on the weekends. I haven’t been on a proper shopping excursion in a long time. I need to make that a goal. I’d like to see that movie, too. You liked it?

Mixed reactions to the movie Ally. It’s probably nothing new as far as major revelations about Freddy or Queen, and I had a hard time getting past the prosthetic teeth cause you could tell that the actor was having a hard time with them as well! Music was awesome of course and in general I just left feeling sad because of the outcome we all knew was coming.

I’ve found that following a strenuous session of organizing drawers/closets, Golden Girls is a good chaser maybe with a side of margarita! I once ran into one of my single bachelor girlfriends at the grocery store on a Saturday night and she swore me to secrecy. Her reputation would have been ruined if someone knew she did grocery shopping on an iconic date night!

Kate, I like how you live! I haven’t watched a Golden Girls episode in a while, time to do that. The margarita is a nice touch. I admire your girlfriend for being a practical woman, not tied down by the conventional constraints of Saturday night expectations.

Like you, I felt the comfort of switching wardrobes last week, but I don’t think it was on the weekend, which started out with a phone call to my publisher. Then quieter stuff: reading, taking walks in a nature preserve. Sunday, I helped little people in my S. S. class make placemats for Thanksgiving. Sunday afternoon: Downton Abbey reruns + The Durrells of Corfu on PBS. Yes, I’m a British drama junkie.

I quit wearing necklaces when the children were little and never started back. I admire your cleaning frenzy, something that would definitely not happen when John is away. When alone, I vow to do nothing that starts with “I should…”

Anne, I’m good with necklaces, it’s pins that I avoid. I’ve gotten pricked one too many times. One of my favorite sayings is: don’t let the world should on you. Sounds like you’ve learned to embody that saying!

So much nicer than my outdoorsy, worky weekend! We finally gave up on the idea that we might get One More Chance to sit on our deck or porch and wrestled all that furniture into the basement for winter storage. Sigh.

Then I rewarded myself with some new black leather booties.

You know, despite June and Ward Cleaver’s formal dress, they were pretty down-to-earth parents for their TV time period. They had some very realistic assessments and expectations of their kids (and June really had Eddie Haskell’s number, too).

nance, we have yet to wrestle the porch furniture into the basement– and I’m not looking forward to it, but maybe this upcoming weekend we will. Sigh, indeed.

I agree about June and Ward. They dressed like they did, I suppose, because that’s how TV executives of that era thought parents should dress. I liked June, although I’ve never aspired to doing housework in pearls, so her influence only goes so far with me.

Funny to hear Barbara talk about the questions Oprah asked. My mom always wore dresses with nylons because that’s what my dad liked. I would love a weekend to myself. Since the hubs is retired and I work from home I rarely have time to my own. I’m thinking of sending him to visit his mom again for a week or so. Organizing the closets is a marvelous feeling, isn’t it?

Janet, I rarely get a weekend by myself, so this past one was cool. I second your idea to send your husband to his mother’s. Of course, my idea of fun might not be exactly what it once was, but like you said, organizing the closet was a marvelous feeling. You deserve to have that experience, too. 🙂

I’m lost in admiration of your project. I need to find the motivation to go through clothes, cupboards, etc.I’m alone most of the time and get very little done except reading and the minimum of housework. The cat isn’t judgmental about my messes. 🙂

Margaret, when the time is right you’ll get around to sorting through your stuff. I can totally understand why you lean toward reading and minimal housekeeping. If it was just me and a cat, I’d be less inclined to rework the closet, too. I’m glad the cat understands you!

At least one day a year, even the most exciting person in the known universe has to spend a weekend reorganizing closets, sorting through clothes, and watching reruns of “Frasier.” This was your weekend.

L. Marie, I await your blog post in which you share a photo of your perfectly folded towels, nestled wherever it is that they nestle. As always, I believe that when the time is right the muse of organization will inspire you to get at it. 😁

Puttering around is a favorite occupation of mine ~ and decluttering while puttering is even better!

We went to Symphony on the Sand on Saturday night. Gorgeous weather and great music. On Sunday, I had a long chat with my younger brother who decided to spend a snowy Sunday on the phone with his siblings. To clarify: snowy there, not here.

nancy [the third one to comment today and what does that mean?], I like to putter. I’m kind of a pro at it. A Symphony on the Sand sounds WONDERFUL to me. You live in a great part of the country. While I have no siblings, I am lead believe that as an adult talking with one is fun. Good for you.

I’m still relatively new to your blog, so I’m entranced by your ability to make the most ordinary things interesting and humorous. Following your example of finding fun and excitement in ordinary things: I didn’t just buy groceries; I found some interesting things at the olive bar to add to my salads, and I heard suspenseful story from the man who bagged my groceries and brought them to my car about sandbags and a flash flood. He was in such a rush to throw the sandbags around his house that he broke his rotator cuff. Sunday is always an exciting day. After church, my daughters who live on the other side of the country call me and tell me how their week went.

Behind the Story, thank you. As a child my elders always told stories about what happened to them in their daily lives. What they shared was true, but it had a funny spin on it. No whining allowed. Somehow that ability to babble about ordinary flapdoodle and twaddle was passed down to me.

People like the man who bagged your groceries are the best ones for learning too much about something you’ve never thought about before. 🙄 I had a rotator cuff injury once and it hurt for weeks, I ended up in physical therapy to fix it. I hope your sandbag guy is ok.

It’s nice that your daughters call you. Lovely to keep in touch with those who care about you and you care about.

It always feels feels so good to go through closets and purge things that you haven’t worn or even thought about for eons. I try to get rid of an item whenever I buy a new article of clothing. But it doesn’t always work. I love clothes and am always on the lookout for something really different.

We went to the beach Thursday-Saturday and found some really cool shells that are never in that area. I think the recent hurricanes may have stirred them up and washed them to shore.

Our youngest grandchild (2 mos) got baptized Sunday. She cried the whole time! Did not like getting awakened with cold water on her head!

I practiced flute for all the upcoming Christmas activities. It’s never a dull moment around here!

beth, I like to purge clothes, too. I’m not much in love with clothes and dream of being one of those super organized women who has 33 items in her closet at all times. I read about them, see their closets– but never quite get there. I hang onto to too many things, just in case…

I haven’t been on a beach in years. I enjoy walking on them but there are none near us. Or none that would be worth walking along, looking for shells.

I like a baby who knows her mind. I don’t blame her for screeching about cold water on her head. Honestly, from a baby point of view, it’s almost barbaric! 😝

Gilles has been away for the past 3 days. I’ve spent my time alone by going to a movie with a friend, eating junk food, and working on some art. In case that sounded like too much fun, I also raked leaves in the yard AGAIN, paid bills, and dragged said bagged leaves to the curb with this week’s garbage for pickup.

Usually when I have a free weekend, I instinctively want to make plans to meet up with my favourite people. But a couple of weeks ago, I managed to resist this urge, and spent the weekend at home, just doing homely things. It was amazing. Your weekend sounds like it was perfect 👌

Lands, Ally! Normally I’m right there with you, but last weekend, I went to a play, shoe shopping, a party, and on a fam sushi date. It was too much. This weekend I have volunteer hours at the school, and will otherwise only engage in practical, useful endeavors AS GOD INTENDED ME TO.

joey, that’s a lot of good times to jam into two days, but I’m sure you did yourself proud. As they used to say… you go girl. I’m sure this upcoming weekend will set you right with the world. Practical is as practical does. Enjoy.